Twitter success...

I have to be honest... at first I was a little skeptical about the importance of something like Twitter. Am I really supposed to care so much about every last thing my friends and idols are up to on a minute by minute basis? But then I started to find and follow some of the icons who I've often wondered about, and who have been a little illusive in the past to say the least. I now realize that they prefer updating in this short and sweet style, and in the past week I've gotten personal replies from folks ranging from MC Ren (always been a favorite of mine) to DJ Spinbad (the best doin' it right now in my opinion) so ladies and gentlemen, I'm game!

Now, after letting the homie Spinbad know how much my college cohorts and I enjoyed his now legendary 80's mixtape when we would take rap road trips back and forth from Penn State, he was nice enough to pass along his most current project, the 90's Megamix! This is the definition of Twitter success and the art of creative turntablism at it's finest, so allow me to spread the wealth... click on the pic and enjoy!

DJ Spinbad

One another note, today I met with my great friend and recording partner of over a decade, louis logic. Both our careers have evolved into something much grander than either one of us could have imagined for ourselves the first time we appeared on wax together back in '98, and it was nice to have a chance to finally catch up with him for the first time in a long time. He brought to my attention a Pitchfork Media review for Asher Roth's current single, "Lark On My Go-Kart" and it doesn't look good for dude. It's always a proud moment when you find recognition for your hard work, and this discovery ranks up there pretty highly on the list...

Click on the pic and enjoy the louis logic love...

And the brand we created only wears better from here. Not to mention our boy Jonny October... well, lemme stop. More on that in the very near future. Speaking of which, we are that.

And you know it don't stop,
J.J.

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Crazy Pants No Pants...

Big shouts to all my new Twitter and Facebook friends... we're still in phase one of getting me up to speed with a stronger online presence in support of my debut (coming soon!) and already things are working out nicely. I have to admit, I'm even enjoying it! Today involved a lot of running around New York and New Jersey, but I feel the need to tell you guys about one stop in particular... the Omaha Steaks store in Livingston. Now fellas, if you haven't heard of Omaha Steaks yet you NEED to click on the pic below. Because like the sign says, you will be thrilled!

You can either have the product shipped directly to your home or -if you can handle the riptide of emotion that sails through your male veins when you step foot in the place- you can visit an actual physical outlet. This body doesn't just happen people. Ride with me...

While we're on one of my favorite topics of food, I think this would be a great time to let everyone in on an up and coming comedian and chef friend of mine who is destined to be the next Mario Bartoli or Emeril Lagasse, if they were even half as funny and charming as they think they are. I'm talking about my dude Mike Foolery. He specializes in cooking concepts we can all relate to, especially when eating on a budget and preparing meals with limited time and space. If you'd like a good laugh while you learn to cook some great original recipes, click on the pic below and check out my man's growing list of episodes.

Mike Foolery

You might also really dig on the theme song...
One,
J.J.
web | twitter | myspace | blog

It started in the Bronx...

This was one of those days when you're reminded that sometimes the music business is just that, a business. Now months go by where all I'll do is the fun part... cutting tracks one after the next, New York's finest spitters and singers coming through the doors of 5G, each with a unique vision and style that brings the sort of creative challenges I live for. But some days it's just you and your team crammed into the think tank with two laptops, a few iPhones and a "to-do" list the size of your last lyric sheet. Yeah, today was one of those days. The good news is, it was all due to the buzz we're starting to build surrounding my solo debut dropping this summer, and among other things we a have a bangin' azz current newsletter and updated youtube page to show for it!

Today I also finally had a chance to upload my pics of the incredible Bronx hip-hop walking tour I took with my wife last week. Yes my friends, I visited Mecca, and I advise all of you true heads out there to do the same... don't just talk about it, be about it! The legendary Jazzy Jay linked with the fine folks at Sound Walk to create an audio tour of the birthplace of hip-hop. You download it to your iPod and hit play when you're at the Morrison/Sound View stop on the 6. After that you're on an hour long trek through the South Bronx, making stops along the way at places like the site of the first b-boy jams and Afrika Bambaataa's childhood apartment window.

Here's me on the site of rap's inaugural concert platform!

This actually turned out to be a pretty emotional trip for a dude who has devoted his whole life to this art. But it was the mural dedicated to an icon who has passed on that really got me. One of the best to ever do it...

R.I.P. Big Punisher!

So please, when you have a chance, do yourself a favor and head over to the Sound Walk website to pay a small fee for a life changing experience. You'll be glad you did!

Click on the pic and tell 'em J.J. sent you.

Bronx keeps creatin' it,
J.J.
web | twitter | myspace | blog

I ain't afraid of no ghost...

Today I spent most of the afternoon with my man Big Lu Valbuena at the Well Done Entertainment headquarters going over the rollout for my solo debut. It's gonna be a busy couple of months for ya mans, but I'm conditioned to win, so let's get it! I once heard a demo that wasn't very good at all (yes, I do listen... sometimes) but it wasn't until dude stopped spittin' that he actually just said something that stuck with me more than anything he put in his rhyme. He was like "I'm conditioned to win... I'm so conditioned to win I'm afraid I might defeat the purpose!" Aww shit! Let that one marinate overnight.

So I leave the office and find a beautiful orange envelope under my left wiper blade. Thank you New York City. Something about parking on a safety line or some absurd shit that definitely should not have cost me the equivalent to dinner for two at Ben & Jack's (my favorite!) and the only thing that kept me from a heat/frustration enduced breakdown was the overwhelming and unwavering excitement I feel for the forthcoming GHOSTBUSTERS video game that drops on June 16th. They got all the original cast to come in and voice the characters and all that. So tonight I'll leave you with a little taste of what the fuss is all about...

Click on the pic and enjoy!

Here's to believing this is all part of the grand ramp up to GB3,
J.J.
web | twitter | myspace | blog

Strangeboy...

I spent this whole beautiful NYC Sunday with my man the1shanti aka Richard Vindaloo and Hatori Hanso shooting Strangeboy's first music video. Now, I'm not at liberty to tell you exactly who Strangeboy is just yet, but let's just say that he was once 1/2 of your favorite rap group, and he keeps coming back with... nah, lemme stop there. But I'm saying, this guy is a legend who has reinvented himself as something brand new, and he's sure to run shit all over again over the course of the next year or so. Here's a parting picture from the end of the shoot today, just outside Trump International Hotel:

That's me to the right of the "Mad Hatter"

Stay tuned...
J.J.
web | twitter | myspace | blog

The needle drop...

What's good everybody? If you're in New York I hope you're setting aside some time to enjoy the first real summer type day we've had since '08. The whole weekend is supposed to be 80's and blue skies, and I could really use the sunshine. I've been in this dimly lit studio grindin' to the point where I'm starting to actually look grey or some shit! Today I woke up to the best breakfast thanks to my wife Kai, and then I logged on to see what's up with my tweeps... Q-Tip honestly posted one of the nastiest things I think I've ever seen! He's sitting in a studio session with Cons, No I.D. and Kanye and he's messing around with needle dropping on an old funk joint. He starts catching the breaks by bumping the stylus at just the right distance to make a two bar loop, then one, then he's stuttering the downbeat... this is what the MPC is for, and this dude is making it happen all by his lonesome! It's really so sick that I have to post it right here:

Click on the pic and enjoy!

Easy,

J.J.
www.5GProductions.com
www.twitter.com/JJBrown
www.JJBrownsStory.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/5GProductions

My first blog...

Wadup cyberspace, it's yer buoy J.J. Brown reppin' hard for 5G and Well Done as always... this is where we're gonna link everyday (or as close to it as I can manage) so I can fill you in on what's going on in my world of music and much more. You can also follow me on Twitter and we'll get to know each other real well. This is J.J. Brown's story...

My man Big Lu Valbuena told me how important it is to check in with the people who have been supporting me for the last ten years, every since my very first blip on the rap radar in '98 when I did the cuts for louis logic on his first single for Superegular Recordings... peace to my man Vinnie Paz and his camp for giving me my first real shot... if for nothing else than just to let folks know what's been on my mind. So for my first official blog I thought it would make the most sense to let you guys in on the number one thing that keeps me awake at night and makes each day seem that much longer for me, and that's the countdown to Wednesday, July 8th, 2009, when my wife Kai and I will be in London for opening night of Michael's farewell run at the 02 Arena!

So if any of you reading this are going, shoot me a message at myspace or tweet me or something, and maybe we can plan a "Jackson Fans of Brooklyn" dinner night out while we're there or something! Be easy, thank you everyone for your years of support, and trust me that the best is on the way.
Stay tuned...

J.J.
www.5GProductions.com
www.twitter.com/JJBrown
www.JJBrownsStory.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/5GProductions